


The Best Wrapper in the West

by Katie_Dub



Series: Christmas Is Going Terribly [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Christmas Fluff, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-19
Updated: 2016-12-19
Packaged: 2018-09-09 17:24:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8902366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katie_Dub/pseuds/Katie_Dub
Summary: “We both work as gift wrappers in a post store and it’s Christmas Eve but nobody is here so we decide to fool around and wrap each other up but oh god our boss is coming and how are we supposed to explain ourselves”





	

Emma sometimes wonders what exactly she’d done in life to end up here. Working as a gift wrapper at Christmas is a taxing job for even the best of people. But when your gift wrapping skills are rated -10/10, your customer service abilities even less and your seasonal joy chip is missing, it’s hell in shiny paper and a lopsided bow. 

The customers’ expectations are high but their patience is low. If the disappointed looks on the shoppers’ faces wasn’t enough to persuade her that she was in the wrong line of work, her boss left her in no doubt of that fact. 

“People are paying us because they _don’t_ want their gifts to look like they’ve been wrapped by an amateur, Miss Swan.” Regina - Ms Mills - had said with pursed lips and a scowl in her eyes. 

Emma knew for a fact that if said boss weren’t her step grandmother, she’d have been out on her ass by the end of her first shift. As it was she had merely nodded towards her fellow gift wrapper, “perhaps Mr Jones could offer some assistance.”

Mr Jones - Killian - was more than happy to oblige. He wrapped gifts like he was born to do it, all while humming a festive tune and charming men, women and children alike. At times Emma wondered if he actually grew up in the North Pole, such was his zest for the season. 

She wanted to hate him, the man could literally wrap better with one hand than she could with two.

But, Killian Jones was perhaps the hottest man she had ever met in her life. Bar none. Seeing him was literally the only thing keeping her going through the day. And it wasn’t just his pretty face. His sarcastic wit invigorated her when Regina’s disparaging remarks got a little too much or a customer let her feel the full force of their festive frustrations. And he was pulling double duty with wrapping because it took her twice as long to produce something wrapped maybe a quarter as well.

Yes, it was thanks to Killian Jones - and her stubborn refusal to admit defeat - that she had made it to Christmas Eve with her employment status and sanity intact.

The morning had been the hurricane of stressed shoppers that she had expected. But now it had hit 3pm and while there were a few mournful lost souls roaming the aisles, she didn’t expect that her services would be required. The remaining shoppers all had the aimless look of those who had long since resigned themselves to disappointing their loved ones with poorly chosen gifts and seemed the sort to think tin foil would suffice for wrapping. 

(Not to judge - Emma was wholeheartedly on their side. Not for the first time she wondered how exactly she swung this job.)

And so, Emma was bored.

At least when their line of customers was trailing all around the store she was keeping busy. But now she had literally nothing to do except gaze upon the beauty of Killian’s face. And, charming though he was, she was 100% certain he merely flirted with her to pass the time and keep her sweet. It wouldn’t do to anger the boss’s family after all - even if Regina was more likely to send her packing than him.

“So Swan, how does it feel to know that your gift wrapping career is coming to an end?”

“Huh?” She had been lost in daydreams of kissing Killian beneath the mistletoe and totally missed what he said. He chuckled at her ungraceful reaction to being startled.

“Are you going to miss all this?” He gestured towards the wrapping station.

 _I’ll miss you_ she sulked internally.

“Oh, but of course I will, Jones. I am, as you know the Best Wrapper in the West.” Killian gasped in mock indignation. 

“Good lady, you know that title is mine, how dare you try to take it from me?” He stepped forward menacingly, but with mischief in his eyes. 

“Want to prove it?” Emma wasn’t sure what possessed her to say such a thing. She could only blame his close proximity, which was turning her mind to mush. 

“What are you suggesting, Swan?” He was grinning at her in delight.

“A competition, winner gets the glory.” 

“Is that all? Seems like the champion deserves a prize as well.” Killian had stepped closer still, she felt tingly at his closeness.

“Um, what sort of prize?” she squeaked out, then stepped back, shrugging to reinforce the question. Killian leaned in, looking at her lips. For a moment she thought he was going to kiss her, but instead he murmured in her ear, “Victor’s choice.” 

She felt warmth blooming in her chest and spreading throughout her body. She was sure she had turned a deep shade of red. She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him back, a little harder than she intended in her desire to gain the upper hand in their conversation. “Deal, but I’m picking what you wrap.” 

“Then I request the same terms.” She nodded, and thought hard. It was absolutely ridiculous, but suddenly she was desperate to win. And she was so bad at wrapping, the only way she could win was if she gave him something really awkward to wrap. An idea came to her and she grinned wickedly.

“Killian Jones, your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to wrap my arm.” His eyebrows shot up to his hairline. He hesitated a little before fixing a smouldering smile on his face. 

“Emma Swan, are you asking me to tie you up?” He ran his tongue along his teeth, looking utterly delighted. She baulked, she hadn’t thought through the implications of her challenge. 

“No, I’m asking you to wrap my arm. Why, scared you can’t do it?” She stared at him defiantly. She couldn’t let him know that she’d made a mistake. 

“Of course not, I do love a challenge. But if I get to tie you up,” he bit his lip and tilted his head. “Wrap me,” she interjected, “if I get to _wrap_ you, then you should return the favour and wrap… ” He paused, deep in thought, before a wicked smile spread across his face. “You get to wrap my torso.” She gulped.

“Please, you couldn’t handle it.” She dismissed his suggestion, hoping she sounded smooth and confident, when she felt anything but. 

“Perhaps you’re the one who couldn’t handle it.” His reply was full of suggestion and sin. She looked him in the eye defiantly, ignoring the effect he was having on her body. 

“May the best wrapper win.”

“Oh, I intend to, love” his voice dropped an octave on the last word and she had to concentrate hard on remaining upright.

***

_This was a terrible, terrible idea._

Killian had caressed her arm while he wound the sparkly tissue paper around it, gently moving her as needed. Her heart was racing and her skin felt hot wherever he touched. And to add insult to arousal, the wrapping was exquisitely done. 

He currently was adding a silky red ribbon to her wrist to complete the look. He fixed his eyes on hers as he bent down and used his teeth to finish tying the bow. He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips, placing a gentle kiss to her knuckles. 

He stepped back, eyes twinkling as he surveyed his work.

“Your turn.” He murmured. It took her a moment to remember what he meant. They’d agreed that he was only going to wrap her arm, leaving her with both hands free to wrap him. Suddenly she felt a flash of annoyance, why had she put herself at a disadvantage by letting him go first? Not only was he considerably more skilled than her, but also she could no longer move her arm freely and frankly it was hard to focus in her current state. 

She gritted her teeth. He had used his masculine wiles to his advantage, and she cursed herself for falling for it. It made her even more determined to win. 

_Two can play at that game,_ she thought gleefully. True, it was too late to throw him off his game, but payback’s a bitch. 

“Shirt up, Jones” His eyes widened in shock, but he lifted his shirt without a word. She reached out and gently ran her fingers across him, briefly stopping at the fuzz in the middle. She swirled her fingers teasing as if she was going to move her fingers lower. His breath hitched a little. She smirked to herself at his reaction, before stepping over to the wrapping paper.

She had just reached for some shiny red paper, when she heard Regina’s heels coming towards them. She spun round, panicking as she looked at her arm. She met Killian’s eyes, he looked as horrified as her.

“Follow my lead,” he said urgently, dropping his shirt and reaching for more ribbon. He bent her arm at the elbow, “keep your arm like this,” he ordered. He looped the ribbon around her neck, before tying it around her wrist to keep her arm in place. 

“Ahem.” Emma jumped a little at the noise. Killian however was completely smooth, and simply turned to face Regina. When he moved he gave Emma a clear line of sight at Regina’s face. It was a picture of dissatisfaction as her eyes roamed from Emma’s wrapped arm to Killian’s innocent face. 

“Ah, Ms Mills, I’m so glad you’re here. Emma slipped on some stray wrapping paper and wrenched her wrist awkwardly. We didn’t have any bandages, so I had to improvise. I’d strongly suggest that she needs urgent medical attention.”

Regina’s lip twitched, Emma was certain she was forcing back a smile.

“This -” she pointed at Emma’s arm, “is because Miss Swan hurt her wrist? ”

“Aye.” Killian didn’t blink and didn’t falter.

“Even the bow?” Regina arched her brow, challenging him to tell the truth. 

“Well, Emma’s in quite some pain Ms Mills, I was merely trying to lift her spirits with some harmless frippery.” Emma groaned a little on cue. Regina flicked her eyes at Emma before looking back to Killian. 

“How thoughtful. I guess it’s just as well that I came to tell you that you’re free to go. You can take her to hospital for the _‘urgent medical attention’_ that she needs.”

“Thank you, Ms Mills,” they chimed together before quickly stepping around her. Killian rushed towards the staff room, but before Emma could follow, Regina stopped her.

“Emma,” the use of her name made her look up. Regina was smirking, her voice soft, she was definitely in step grandmother mode now. “If you’re planning to play doctors and nurses with Mr Jones, just be sure to use protection.” She gaped while Regina laughed. “I was young once, you know. Now, don’t keep him waiting.”

Emma’s face was on fire by the time she reached the staff room. Killian was waiting for her, his face crumpling in concern when he saw her.

“Are you quite alright, love? You don’t actually need medical attention do you?” Emma didn’t know it was possible to blush harder than she already was, and yet somehow she did.

Killian looked even more worried, Emma needed to speak. “I’m fine,” she squeaked then cleared her throat, “I’m good.”

He eyed her curiously, but said nothing as she picked up her bag. She reached up to start undoing the wrapping on her arm.

“Ah ah, Swan, don’t blow our cover.”

“Hate to break it to you, but Regina wasn’t fooled for a second.”

“Damn, and I thought that was such a good excuse. Still it seems a shame to ruin such award winning wrapping.” She frowned and tilted her head at him. 

“Hmm, and what award is this exactly?”

“Why, the Best Wrapper in the West of course.” He looked unbearably smug. She shook her head. 

“No, I don’t think you won that, actually. I didn’t get my chance to play.” He swayed closer to her. 

“Oh come on now, Swan, we both know I would have won. Now why don’t you let me claim my prize?” She narrowed her eyes, pouting a little even as she knew he was right.

“Fine, what do you want?” she huffed. Suddenly he looked bashful and unsure, scratching behind his ear before tapping his lips, somehow looking cocky and uncertain all at once.

“A kiss from a fair maiden perhaps?” she nearly melted on the spot.

“I’ll have to let you know if I see one.” She meant it teasingly, but his face fell and he looked utterly crestfallen. Her heart leapt, she decided to follow it and take a leap of faith. “Perhaps you can settle for me?”

She just had time to take in the look of sheer joy that lit up his face before she grabbed his lapels and crashed their lips together in a passionate embrace.

 _Maybe losing isn’t so bad_ , she mused, _if it means I get to have this._ It was the last thought to cross her mind before she became utterly lost in Killian Jones’ kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi I'm @katie-dub on tumblr, come say hi!


End file.
